The present invention relates to a personal computer, or other similar electronic apparatus, having an improved diagnostic interface.
Personal computers are being used in an increasing number of applications. Whilst improvements are continually being made in the user interfaces of personal computers in order to make them usable by a wider cross section of the population, personal computer systems themselves have also greatly increased in their internal complexity so that today most users are unfamiliar with the internal design and configuration of the computers that they use. In consequence, when a computer fails to operate in the manner expected, the user is often unable to determine the source of the problem or how to resolve it.
Various means are provided to enable the user to try to resolve problems they encounter, for instance diagnostic programs, helpfiles and manuals may be supplied by the computer manufacturer. In addition, current PCs are typically equipped with some form of internal diagnostics, the purpose of which is to detect and isolate component faults within the PC architecture.
However, much of the information contained within the diagnostic programs and manuals is often beyond the understanding of the average user and therefore when faced with a problem, the user may need to or may prefer to call the computer manufacturer""s customer service line or help desk in order to obtain technical help.
This generally entails making a telephone call and speaking to a help desk representative who will attempt to determine the nature of the problem based on information provided by the user.
This process is often slow and unsatisfactory. The amount of time required for the user to accurately describe the problem to the help desk representative is often considerable. It is also frequently plagued by inaccurate instructions being conveyed to the user over the phone.
For some complex problems, the help desk representative may need to collect some information as to the system configuration. It is not possible to dictate a full log file over the phone, so often the user is asked to transmit these data over email or fax and to call back later. On the second call it is difficult to establish a link between the call and the email or fax received, especially when it is necessary to transfer the call through an automatic routing system.
To compound the communication difficulties described above, diagnostic routines are often invoked when components in the computer are not completely functional and so the diagnostics may not execute or interact properly with the computer or with the user.
One test that always needs to be performed in any diagnostic analysis is to ensure that the power outlet is delivering AC power to the machine and that the power supply of the machine is delivering power to the circuits in the machine. Any diagnostic trouble-shooting tree always starts with this test and in the event of a blank screen failure of a computer, a support agent always has to ask the user to check that AC power is present at the power outlet to which the machine is connected.
Although computers normally include an LED on their front panel to indicate whether the computer is on or off, this is usually driven from a general purpose output from a chipset or power management component and therefore the fact that this LED is not illuminated may not mean that power is absent, it may simply mean that the power management component is faulty or is not receiving proper power.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,142 describes a personal computer of this general type in which an LED is connected to a power management circuit in the form of a preprogrammed microcontroller, and has several blinking states to indicate different states of a power supply. A power button is also connected to the same power management circuit.
This invention is directed to providing a personal computer with an improved diagnostic interface that facilitates the provision of remote diagnostic services to the user of the computer.
Since personal computers are relatively low cost items, such a diagnostic system should require as few PC modifications or additions as possible in accomplishing the above, so as to minimise cost and parts count.
In brief, this is achieved by a computer comprising: a power provisioning system for powering the apparatus from an external power source, the power provisioning system comprising:
a main power supply output for, in a first state of the power provisioning system, energising the main operative functionality of the apparatus when said power provisioning system is connected to said external power source, and
a standby power supply output for, in a second state of the power provisioning system, energising a subset of the components of the apparatus when said main power supply output is energised;
a power management control circuit for controlling at least the transition of the power provisioning system between the first and second states;
a power button connected to the power management control circuit for enabling a user to initiate transitions of the power provisioning system between at the first and second states; an LED for providing a visual feedback to the user of the powered state of the computer;
wherein the LED is wired in series with a transistor to the standby supply output, the conducting state of the transistor being controlled directly by the power button so that the LED provides a direct visual feedback as to the state of the standby power supply output when the power button is actuated.
With this arrangement the LED therefore provides a direct indication that (i) the power supply is delivering at least standby power; (ii) the power outlet is delivering AC power to the machine; and (iii) the power switch is mechanically good. This removes the need to perform this test in any diagnostic analysis.
The LED can be connected to a output of the power management circuit to provide a visual feed back of other states of the computer when the power button is not actuated.
The extra cost of adding this circuitry to a conventional personal computer is very low.